2005 Pleasanton Plan 2025

2005 Pleasanton Plan 2025

2. LAND USE ELEMENT

Adopted 07 21 09; Amended 10 19 10 2-ii

TABLE OF CONTENTS

page

PURPOSE ................................................................................ 2-1

SUSTAINABILITY ..................................................................... 2-1

EXISTING CONDITIONS .......................................................... 2-1

Residential Neighborhoods .................................................. 2-1

Industrial, Commercial, and Office Development .................. 2-4

Community Facilities ........................................................... 2-7

Open-Space Areas .............................................................. 2-7

AREAS OF SPECIAL INTEREST ................................................... 2-8

Pleasanton Ridgelands ........................................................ 2-8

South Pleasanton ................................................................ 2-8

Hill Areas .......................................................................... 2-9

Vineyard Avenue Corridor ..................................................... 2-9

Downtown .......................................................................... 2-10

Busch Property .................................................................... 2-10

Staples Ranch ................................................................... 2-10

East Pleasanton ................................................................. 2-10

Hacienda Business Park ....................................................... 2-11

SPECIFIC PLAN AREAS ........................................................... 2-12

Existing Specific Plans ........................................................ 2-12

Future Specific Plans .......................................................... 2-14

GROWTH MANAGEMENT ..................................................... 2-14

Urban Growth Boundary ................................................... 2-15

Growth Management Program ............................................ 2-16

Holding Capacity .............................................................. 2-16

The Relationship of Jobs and Housing ................................ 2-18

Annexation ......................................................................... 2-19

LAND-USE CONCEPTS .......................................................... 2-20

Smart Growth ..................................................................... 2-20

Mixed Use ......................................................................... 2-21

Transit-Oriented Development ........................................... 2-21

page

GENERAL PLAN LAND USES ................................................... 2-21

Residential Areas ............................................................... 2-22

Mixed-Use .......................................................................... 2-23

Industrial, Commercial, and Offices .................................... 2-24

Community Facilities .......................................................... 2-24

Open Space ........................................................................ 2-24

RELATIONSHIP TO OTHER ELEMENTS ....................................... 2-25

Circulation Element .............................................................. 2-25

Housing Element ................................................................ 2-26

Public Safety Element ........................................................... 2-26

Public Facilities and Community Programs Element ................ 2-26

Conservation and Open Space Element ................................ 2-26

Water Element ..................................................................... 2-26

Air Quality and Climate Change Element .............................. 2-26

Energy Element .................................................................... 2-26

Noise Element ..................................................................... 2-27

Community Character Element ............................................. 2-27

Economic and Fiscal Element ............................................... 2-27

GOALS, POLICIES, AND PROGRAMS ...................................... 2-28

Tables

Table 2-1 Residential Neighborhoods ...................................... 2-2

Table 2-2 Commercial, Office, and Industrial Development ...... 2-5

Table 2-3 General Plan Densities .......................................... 2-16

Table 2-4 Employment Density Standards ............................. 2-17

Table 2-5 General Plan Acreage ........................................... 2-18

Figures

Figure 2-1 Residential Neighborhoods ...................................... 2-3

Figure 2-2 Commercial/Office/Industrial Development .............. 2-6

Figure 2-3 Existing and Future Specific Plans ........................... 2-13

The General Plan Map depicts land uses referenced in the Land Use Element.

Adopted 07 21 09 2-1

2. LAND USE ELEMENT

PURPOSE

The purpose of the Land Use Element is to provide policies and a

land-use map indicating the planned location, amount, and intensity

of residential, commercial, and industrial lands, as well as to

provide guidance for the use of public and open-space lands.

Policies need to be considered together with the General Plan Map

to understand the City’s intentions for future development and

conservation. The General Plan Map depicts the policies contained

throughout General Plan 2005-2025 in graphic form. The Map

illustrates the City’s plan for a desirable pattern of land use

throughout the Planning Area. (See separate folded map.)

Stylized Land Use Map (see loose fold-out map for detail and legend)

SUSTAINABILITY

As stated in the General Plan Vision, the City of Pleasanton

embraces the concept of sustainable development. A sustainable

city strives to draw from the environment only those resources that

are necessary and that can be used or recycled perpetually, or returned

to the environment in a form that nature can use to generate more

resources. Relating the concept of sustainability to land use includes

encouraging infill development and planning the city such that its

layout would increase walking and bicycle riding, and minimize

vehicle-miles traveled and energy usage. In addition, the City is

committed to constructing new public facilities using “green-building”

practices that would reduce energy usage, as well as requiring that new

residential and commercial land uses do the same. The concept of

sustainability also relates to the economic and fiscal sustainability of

the City. This chapter seeks to ensure that land-use polices and the

Land Use Map provide support for fiscal and economic sustainability.

EXISTING CONDITIONS

Pleasanton is well on its way to achieving its goal of a well-planned

and complete community at General Plan buildout. The following

summarizes existing community conditions. See General Plan Land

Uses, below, for future plans for land uses within the Planning Area.

Residential Neighborhoods

Many people relocate to Pleasanton for its attractive and well-planned

neighborhoods. Pleasanton currently contains many residential

neighborhoods (see Table 2-1 and Figure 2-1) that offer a variety of

environments and lifestyles. In general, residential development is less

dense at the Urban Growth Boundary. The oldest neighborhood is in

the Downtown and features buildings dating back to the 1860s. A

major aspect of Pleasanton’s neighborhood environment has been the

separation between residential and non-residential uses.

2005 Pleasanton Plan 2025 2.0 Land Use Element

Adopted 07 21 09 2-2

TABLE 2-1: RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS

1 Canyon Creek 20 Country Fair 39 Stoneridge Park 58 Old Towne

2 Canyon Meadows 21 Del Prado 40 Stoneridge Orchards 59 Kottinger Ranch

3 West of Foothill 22 Parkside 41 Mohr-Martin 60 Bonde Ranch

4 Highland Oaks / North Muirwood 23 Moller Ranch 42 Mohr Park 61 Mission Hill

5 Stoneridge 24 Valencia/Siena/Avilla 43 Pleasanton Village 62 Mission Park

6 Oak Hill / South Muirwood 25 Amberwood / Wood Meadows 44 Sycamore Place 63 Lund Ranch

7 The Preserve 26 Willow West 45 Rosewood 64 Bridal Creek / Sycamore Heights

8 8 Foothill Knolls 27 Birdland 46 Heritage Valley 65 Rosepointe

9 Laguna Oaks 28 Pleasanton Valley 47 Danbury Park 66 Carriage Gardens

10 Foothill Place 29 Downtown 48 Amador Estates 67 Happy Valley

11 Laguna Vista 30 Civic Square 49 Jensen Tract 68 Southeast Pleasanton

12 Deer Oaks/Twelve Oaks 31 Ridgeview Commons 50 California Reflections 69 Walnut Glen

13 Longview 32 California Somerset 51 Vintage Hills 70 Walnut Hills

14 Golden Eagle Farms 33 Pleasanton Meadows / Fairlands 52 Remen Tract 71 Pheasant Ridge

15 Castlewood 34 Hacienda Gardens 53 Vineyard Avenue 72 Canyon Oaks

16 Oak Tree Farms 35 Las Positas Garden Homes 54 Foxbrough Estates 73 Shadow Cliffs

17 Oak Tree Acres 36 Verona 55 Grey Eagle Estates 74 Ironwood

18 Val Vista 37 Belvedere 56 Ruby Hill 75 Archstone

19 Valley Trails 38 Gatewood 57 Pleasanton Heights 76 Hacienda Commons

77 Springhouse

Source: City of Pleasanton, Planning and Community Development Department, July 2007.

Note: See Figure 2-1 for neighborhood locations.

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2005 PLEASANTON PLAN 2025

Figure 2 - 1Residential Neighborhoods

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Pleasanton City Limit Line


Adopted 07 21 09 2-4

This land use pattern minimizes incompatibility among land uses and results in the safe and attractive environment which makes Pleasanton’s neighborhoods so livable. While there is a separation of land uses in much of Pleasanton, “mixed-use” development also exists, for example, in the Downtown with residents living above commercial establishments and a mix of residential and commercial uses on a parcel. This General Plan seeks to create additional opportunities to integrate residences with other land uses in mixed-use and transit-oriented developments (TOD) and to create more pedestrian, bicycle, and public transit connections that provide an alternative to automobiles.

The City’s street network features relatively few major arterials, thus minimizing the number of residents exposed to heavy traffic and noise. Most homes front on minor collector streets and cul-de-sacs which meander through the community and create quiet, safe environments. The street pattern carves out distinct neighborhoods, each having a diversity of uses: housing, a local park, an elementary school, and access to both retail and community services. Most neighborhoods have a variety of architectural styles, substantial landscaping, street trees, sidewalks, and bicycle paths.

As of January 2007, Pleasanton provided 25,765 housing units for approximately 68,800 residents. The housing mix included about 17,200 detached single-family and duet units (67 percent), and 8,556 attached single-family units and multi-family units (33 percent).1 According to the 2000 Census, the average household size for owner-occupied units was 2.87 persons compared to 2.3 persons for renter-occupied units. The overall residential vacancy rate remains relatively low at 2.7 percent.

1 City of Pleasanton, Planning and Community Development Department, 2007.

Industrial, Commercial, and Office Development

Prior to 1980, Pleasanton was predominantly a residential community with limited employment opportunities. Since 1980, the development of a regional shopping mall, seven major business parks, five major hotels, and a variety of retail, office, and service centers have transformed the City (Table 2-2 and Figure 2-2). Pleasanton’s economy supports basic industries which export products out of the community – such as nationally-recognized high technology companies, research and development, and corporate headquarters – and non-basic industries – such as local shops and services, which mainly serve people within the community. All industries are subject to strict standards relating to traffic, air quality, noise, water, sewer, and hazardous waste, and are monitored by the City.

Stoneridge Mall regional shopping center

Adopted 07 21 09 2-5

TABLE 2-2: COMMERCIAL, OFFICE, AND INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT

Sub-Area Uses 2006 (square feet) Buildout (square feet) a

1 Farmers Insurance Office 150,000 150,000

2 Stoneridge Mall Retail 1,137,500 1,643,740

3 Stoneridge Mall Road Periphery Office, Retail, Hotel, Medical 1,307,580 1,543,870

4 Stoneridge Corporate Plaza Office, Restaurant 571,880 1,184,420

5 Commerce Circle / Johnson Drive R&D, Warehouse, Light Industrial, Hotel ) b 1,259,610 1,455,950

6 Pleasanton Park Office, R&D, Light Industrial, Commercial b 548,926 667,664

7 Signature Center, Bank of America, etc. Office, R&D, Light Industrial, Commercial b 984,480 1,072,140

8 Hacienda Business Park Office, R&D, Light Industrial, Commercial b 7,911,000 9,890,000

9 Rosewood Drive Area Commercial, Auto Sales 408,410 426,040

10 Rheem Industrial Park Light Industrial 195,620 204,130

11 Valley Business Park Light Industrial, Office 1,001,900 1,101,050

12 Stanley Business Park Service Commercial, Light Industrial, Retail, Office 400,110 761,220

13 Applied Biosystem Office Park R&D, Office b 258,500 960,000

14 Bernal Corporate Park Office, R&D, Light Industrial, Retail, Hotel b 1,132,450 1,331,450

15 Bernal Office Park Office 0 750,000

16 Downtown Retail, Office 868,000 968,000

17 East Pleasanton Specific Plan (place-holder assumptions)

Retail, R&D, Industrial Park b n/a 4,150,000

Other 2,898,075 6,691,326

TOTAL 21,034,041 34,951,000

Notes: a Where applicable buildout development is calculated from the approved Planned Unit Development. Development based on the General Plan maximum FAR may be

greater. b R&D = research and development

Source: City of Pleasanton, Planning and Community Development Department, July 2007.

See Figure 2-2 for the location of these major commercial/office/industrial complexes.

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1. Farmers Insurance2. Stoneridge Mall3. Stoneridge Mall Road Periphery4. Stonridge Corporate Plaza5. Commerce Circle/Johnson Drive6. Pleasanton Park7. Signature Center8. Hacienda Business Park9. Rose Pavilion

10. Rheem Industrial Park11. Valley Business Park12. Stanley Business Park13. Applied Biosystem14. Bernal Corporate Park15. Bernal Office Park16. Downtown17. East Pleasanton Specific Plan

Figure 2 - 2Commercial/ Office/

Industrial Development

µ0 2,750 5,5001,375

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City of Pleasanton Department of Planningand Community Development

Source:


As of 2005, Pleasanton contained about 4,100 businesses2 (excluding home occupations) which together employed about 58,110 full- and part-time workers.3 Approximately 21 percent of these workers lived in Pleasanton, another 29 percent lived elsewhere in the Tri-Valley, and the remaining 50 percent commuted from the greater outlying area. The location of people’s place of work compared with their place of residence plays a crucial role in traffic patterns, commuting time, energy consumption, noise, and air pollution.

Community Facilities Numerous and varied community facilities and programs characterize Pleasanton. Almost every neighborhood features a school and a park within walking distance of its residents. In addition, Pleasanton offers several large public facilities which serve the entire community such as

the County Fairgrounds, Pleasanton Sports Park, Century House, Senior Center, the Civic Center, and Amador Theater.

Many neighborhood and community-wide facilities serve multiple functions in meeting recreational, social, and cultural needs. The City

also partners with the Pleasanton Unified School District to jointly develop and improve facilities on school property such as gymnasiums and tennis courts, for the benefit of the whole community.

2 City of Pleasanton, Business License Division, month, January 2007. 3 Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG), ABAG Projections 2007.

City employees at leadership training, City Hall meeting room

Amador Theater

Meeting rooms are available at City Hall, the library, the Senior Center, schools, and hotels; recreational activities take place in school playgrounds and gymnasiums; educational and social programs are offered at religious facilities and City buildings. Year around, the Pleasanton Department of Parks and Community Services sponsors recreational, educational, human-service, and cultural programs in its facilities for thousands of residents to enjoy.

See the Public Facilities and Community Programs Element for additional information, including Table 6-3 and Figure 6-3, regarding existing community facilities and programs.

Open-Space Areas

An abundance of open space graces Pleasanton. Surrounding the developed areas of the valley floor are generally undeveloped lands of the Pleasanton Ridge, Southeast Hills, sand-and-gravel quarry areas, and vineyards in the South Livermore Valley area. See the

Adopted 07 21 09 2-7


Conservation and Open Space Element, including Figure 7-4, for information about the City’s open space lands. In addition to open space, numerous neighborhood, community, and regional parks are interspersed within the City. See information about these parks in the Public Facilities and Community Programs Element, including Table 6-1 and Figure 6-2.

AREAS OF SPECIAL INTEREST

Pleasanton Ridgelands

The Pleasanton Ridgelands area includes approximately 13,000 acres generally bounded by Interstate 580 (I-580) to the north, the 670-foot elevation near Foothill Road to the east, Niles Canyon Road to the south, and Palomares Road to the west – excluding the existing communities of Sunol, Kilkare Canyon, and Castlewood. Part of the Ridgelands area is within the City of Hayward, part within Pleasanton, and the remainder in unincorporated land of Alameda County.

The Ridgelands area consists of ridges and valleys which separate the Tri-Valley from Castro Valley, Hayward, San Leandro, Union City, and Fremont. It provides the primary western visual backdrop for Pleasanton and joins the more westerly ridges in establishing the topographic edge to Hayward and Castro Valley. This predominantly undeveloped land further provides a scenic open space amenity of regional significance which includes regional parkland, agricultural land, and valuable wildlife habitat. Steeply sloping, heavily forested eastern and northern faces of the Pleasanton, Sunol, and Main Ridges, as well as broad grassland grazing areas along ridge tops and southern and western slopes, characterize the area.

In November of 1993, Pleasanton voters approved Measure F, which directly related to the Ridgelands. The intent of the Measure was to preserve the remaining agricultural open space and designate the

Ridgelands as Park and Recreation (for publicly-owned land) and Agriculture (for privately-owned land). In those areas designated Agriculture, certain uses which would be incompatible with the existing visual quality were not allowed. Refer to Programs 16.1 and 17.1, below, in the Goals, Policies, and Programs section, for further information about Measure F.

View of ridgelands behind Pleasanton Avenue commercial building

South Pleasanton

Rolling and steeply sloping hills used predominantly as grazing and watershed land with low-density residential uses in the flatter Happy

Valley Area characterize South Pleasanton. The General Electric Vallecitos Nuclear Research Center dominates the largely undeveloped Vallecitos Valley area north of State Route 84, while the San Antonio Reservoir watershed area, owned by the City and County of San Francisco, covers much of the area south of State Route 84.

Adopted 07 21 09 2-8


View of hills from the Callippe Golf Course

The General Plan designates much of South Pleasanton as Public Health and Safety with a Wildlands Overlay, resulting in no development capacity other than one single-family home on an existing private lot of record. These designations cover the steeper slopes, higher elevations, areas subject to landslides and other hazards, watershed lands, and valuable wildlife habitat and corridor areas. Land Use in the Happy Valley area is discussed in detail in the Happy Valley Specific Plan (see pages 22-25). The Callippe Preserve Golf Course is located south of Happy Valley Road and is designated as Parks and Recreation. The General Electric site is designated as General and Limited Industrial. To the west of that facility along Little Valley Road, an area of existing ranchettes is designated Rural Density Residential.

Consideration should be given to preserving large open-space acreage in South Pleasanton and in the Southeast Hills by a combination of private open space and a public park system. Developer dedications,

bond measures, corporate and personal donations, as well as regional, State, and federal funding programs, should be used to acquire trail rights-of-way and land. Attempts to achieve public access to open-space areas and trails should not create onerous impositions on property owners.

Hill Areas In November 2008, Pleasanton voters passed Measure PP which adopts, and Measure QQ which reaffirms, specific policies in the General Plan regarding hillside development restrictions. Measure PP prohibits placing housing units or structures on slopes of 25 percent or greater or within 100 vertical feet of a ridgeline, does not allow grading to construct residential or commercial structures in those same areas, and also bans subdividing a legal parcel for more than 10 housing units, but exempts development of 10 or fewer housing units from these restrictions. Measure QQ’s substantive hillside policies involve the readoption and reaffirmation of existing policies and a program for the 1996 General Plan to generally: (1) preserve hillside and ridge views of the Pleasanton, Main, and Southeast Hills; (2) study the feasibility of preserving large open-space areas in the Southeast Hills; and (3) protect all large, contiguous areas of Open Space.

Vineyard Avenue Corridor The 368-acre Vineyard Avenue Corridor is located in the southeastern portion of Pleasanton, south of the Arroyo Del Valle and west of Ruby Hill. Terrain is mostly flat north of Vineyard Avenue and generally transitions to steep slopes on the south side. In this sparsely developed area, vegetation consists mostly of oak woodlands and grasslands. The Vineyard Avenue Specific Plan, adopted in 1999, guides development in this area. In addition to homes, a park, and an elementary school, the area is also planned to include a number of “wine country” related commercial uses, such as wineries, wine-tasting rooms, and bed-and-breakfast accommodations.

Adopted 07 21 09 2-9


The City adopted the Stoneridge Drive Specific Plan in 1989 – see discussion in the Specific Plan Areas section, below --, which includes Staples Ranch. As of 2006, only the Staples Ranch portion of the Stoneridge Drive Specific Plan remains undeveloped. In 2006 the City and Alameda County signed a Memorandum of Understanding that outlined a process for the City of Pleasanton to review a development plan for Staples Ranch that included a continuing-care retirement community, an auto mall, other office or retail uses, and a City park. This property is subject to noise generated by the Livermore Municipal Airport which operates jet aircraft on a 24 hour basis.

East Pleasanton The eastern portion of the Planning Area contains the largest deposits of sand and gravel in the entire Bay Area. This land is of special importance because of the value of its mineral deposits to the region’s economy, the effects of extracting and transporting sand and gravel on the local environment, and the manner in which excavated land is reclaimed for future use.

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Cope Lake peninsula, Chain of Lakes

Downtown Downtown, the heart of Pleasanton, is located at the center of the Planning Area. It features the city’s oldest buildings, its most established residential neighborhoods, tree-lined streets, and an identifiable image as a classic early 1900s “American Downtown.”

The Downtown has served many functions over the past 130 years including a railroad stop, agricultural exchange center, and community shopping area. It contains many of the historic features of the community which should be preserved because of their architectural design, historic value, and contribution to the community character. The Downtown Specific Plan adopted in 2002 and updated in 2019 includes goals, objectives, and implementation measures that facilitate the changes needed to serve the City’s growing population and employment base while still preserving the essence of Downtown’s small-town character. The 2002 Plan significantly expanded the Downtown area from the previous plan, while the boundary changes to the plan area in the 2019 update are modest.

Busch Property Ponderosa Homes developed the Busch property (east of Valley Avenue, north of Busch Road) in the early 2000s. It includes 175 single-family homes (developed at medium and low density), 16 duets, 172 units of senior housing, and a church / day-care facility on 92 acres. A 22-acre site (formerly considered for a school site) is vacant and planned for future development of medium-density senior housing.

Staples Ranch West of El Charro Road and south of Interstate 580 (I-580), in the northeastern Planning Area sits the 124-acre Staples Ranch, which, as of 2007, is owned by Alameda County Surplus Property Authority.

Adopted 07 21 09

Adopted 07 21 09

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Alameda County, within whose jurisdiction the gravel areas are mostly located, has adopted a specific plan which indicates the extent of harvesting operations and identifies potential future uses suitable for land once its deposits have been extracted.4 The specific plan calls for

a resource known as the Chain of Lakes, a series of open sand-and-gravel pits filled with groundwater after the resources have been extracted. The lakes would be used for water recharge and stormwater storage, and the project would include habitat enhancement and recreational trails.

Industry has now depleted sand-and-gravel resources and reclaimed land on several large parcels in the Busch Road and El Charro Road area. This area will be the subject of a future specific plan (see following Specific Plan Areas section).

The quarry lands create a valuable urban separator between Pleasanton and Livermore. This land should be carefully studied during specific plan preparation, and its qualities as an urban separator should be substantially protected. The lake areas should be restored to a safe and natural condition, and wildlife areas should be regenerated to the fullest extent feasible. The future specific plan should be closely coordinated with affected property owners, the City of Livermore, Zone 7 Water Agency, and Alameda County.

Hacienda Business Park

This 854-acre business park was originally developed in the early 1980s when the first office and commercial uses were built. The original master plan envisioned “a commercial development designed

4 Alameda County Board of Supervisors, Specific Plan for Livermore-Amador Valley Quarry Area Reclamation, adopted Nov. 5, 1981.

to create a cohesive, visually unified business park with a sense of identity, distinction and quality.” In the early 1980s, development activity in Hacienda included primarily one- and two-story tilt-up construction “back office” buildings, and a few “Class A” corporate office buildings. The park also acquired a new hotel development and a retail area at that time.

Housing was introduced in the late 1980s in the southern area of the park, and the weakening of the commercial real-estate markets at that time led to the allocation of additional acreage for small-lot single-family homes and additional multifamily residential development. Today there are 1,530 residential units in the park.

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Roche Molecular Systems building in Hacienda Business Park

In 1996 the Pleasanton/Dublin BART line was opened with the terminus station located on the northern edge of the Hacienda

Adopted 07 21 09 2-11


Business Park at the I-580 freeway. The mid-1990s also saw a resurgence in the economy and a new period of development in the park which included corporations such as Roche, Shaklee, and PeopleSoft that acquired large vacant sites and sought approval of projects designed for their long-term space needs. In recent years, Hacienda has continued to evolve with the addition of Pleasanton Unified School District’s Hart Middle School and additional retail development.

As of 2007, the park has over 7.9 million square feet of office, research and development, and other commercial uses, and there is still significant development potential, particularly in the area close to the Dublin/Pleasanton BART station. The future of the park as it moves towards more mixed-use development integrated with the transit hub at the BART station will be discussed as part of a major amendment to the Planned Unit Development (PUD) that governs that development.

SPECIFIC PLAN AREAS

Specific plans provide a bridge between the goals and policies in the General Plan and specific development proposals, and usually incorporate detailed land-use development standards and design criteria. In several areas, specific plans have been used successfully in Pleasanton to implement the community’s vision for future development. Figure 2-3 shows the location of these plan areas.

Existing Specific Plans

All properties lying within the boundaries of an adopted specific plan area are subject to the land uses, densities, public improvements, and other specific plan requirements. Note that land uses, densities, and street alignments shown on the General Plan Map within these areas are conceptual only, while the specific plan provides additional detail.

Below is a list of existing specific plans adopted by the City of Pleasanton.

1. Downtown Specific Plan. The City adopted the latest SpecificPlan for this area on August 20, 2019, the result of anapproximately three year effort involving citizens, staff, andconsultants. The overall goal of the Specific Plan is toimprove upon the commercial and residential viability of theDowntown while preserving the traditions of its small-towncharacter and scale.

2. Stoneridge Drive Specific Plan. This Specific Plan area, adoptedby the City in October 1989, has been largely developed with amix of residential, school, park, and institutional uses. As of 2006,Staples Ranch, the remaining undeveloped portion of the SpecificPlan, is planned for future development of a continuing-careretirement community, auto dealerships, additional commercialdevelopment, and a public park. This development will require anamendment to the Specific Plan.

3. Bernal Property Specific Plan (Phase I and Phase II). The Cityadopted the Phase I Specific Plan on August 21, 2000 for the 198-acre "private" development portion of the entire 516-acreproperty. Phase II, the 318 acres that were dedicated to the City

by the Phase I developer, was adopted on May 16, 2006 and ratified by the voters on November 7, 2006. Phase I consisted of 571 mixed-density housing units, a “village common” and roads.

Homes with second units, in the Bernal Specific Plan area

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Figure 2 - 3Existing and Future

Specific Plans

1. Downtown Specific Plan2. Stoneridge Drive Specific Plan3. Bernal Specific Plan4. Laguna Oaks Specific Plan5. North Sycamore Specific Plan6. Happy Valley Specific Plan7. Vineyard Ave. Specific Plan8. East Pleasanton Specific Plan

µ0 2,750 5,5001,375

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City of Pleasanton Department of Planningand Community Development

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Adopted 07 21 09 2-14

It also allows the development of 750,000 square feet of

commercial/office-building floor space. Phase II provides for

community uses including parks and open space, a youth and

community center, as well as an amphitheater and agricultural uses.

4. Laguna Oaks Specific Plan. This Specific Plan is essentially a

development plan for the Laguna Oaks subdivision, where the

first homes were completed in 1995.

5. North Sycamore Specific Plan. The City adopted this 135-acre

Specific Plan in 1992 with the objective of providing guidance for

annexation and development while retaining the area’s rural

character. Land-use designations include Low-Density

Residential, Agricultural, and some Commercial and Medium-

Density Residential near Sunol Boulevard. As of 2006, residential

development of the area is mainly complete, although some

commercial development is yet to be constructed.

6. Happy Valley Specific Plan. In 1998 the City adopted the 860-

acre Specific Plan for Happy Valley. The Specific Plan area, which

includes both incorporated and unincorporated land, includes a

municipal golf course, open space and agricultural lands, as well as

land for development of low-, medium-, and semi-rural-density

homes. The Callippe Preserve Golf Course opened in 2005 and

several golf-course custom homes have been developed.

7. Vineyard Avenue Corridor Specific Plan. This Specific Plan

covers 384 areas on both sides of old Vineyard Avenue. The

Plan allows a mix of single-family homes, vineyards, open space,

community park, elementary school, and possible wine country

related commercial sites. As of 2006, most of the single-family

homes are either built or have planning approvals, and Vineyard

Avenue has been realigned.

Future Specific Plans

In order to evaluate land use options and to provide detailed

planning guidance in an area undergoing land-use transition,

Pleasanton will initiate a specific plan for the East Pleasanton area.

Callippe Preserve Golf Course in Happy Valley area

In 1998 the City initiated a planning process for this area, which in

1999 the City deferred in order to complete the Bernal Property

Specific Plan. This area includes approximately 1,000 acres in East

Pleasanton and consists of lakes (reclaimed sand-and-gravel pits) now

owned by Zone 7 Water Agency and Pleasanton Gravel Company,

and land formerly owned by Hanson (Kaiser) Aggregates and Kiewit

Corporation. Pleasanton will coordinate with Zone 7 on the

planning of land uses in this area. This area, which the Livermore

Airport impacts with aircraft noise, may include development of

commercial, residential, and office/industrial uses, as well as use of

lakes for flood protection, groundwater recharge, habitat, and

recreation purposes. In addition, the Specific Plan will also define a

circulation system for the area, including improvements to El Charro

Road, will plan the extension of utilities, and would create a funding

mechanism for the infrastructure required to support development.

GROWTH MANAGEMENT

The orderly growth and development of the city together with the

preservation of an open-space frame has been a high priority for the

Pleasanton community. The City has used several tools to attain this

goal including the adoption of an Urban Growth Boundary and a

Growth Management Program.


Adopted 07 21 09; Amended 10 19 10 2-15

Urban Growth Boundary

The General Plan Map designates an Urban Growth Boundary (UGB)

line around the edge of land planned for urban development at

General Plan buildout. Pleasanton voters ratified the Urban Growth

Boundary in 1996. The line distinguishes areas generally suitable for

urban development where urban public facilities and services are

provided from those areas not suitable for urban development. Areas

outside the Urban Growth Boundary are generally suitable for the

long-term protection of natural resources, large-lot agriculture and

grazing, parks and recreation, public health and safety, subregionally

significant wildlands, buffers between communities, and scenic

ridgeline views. The Urban Growth Boundary is intended to

permanently define the line beyond which urban development will not

occur, although the initiative also described some circumstance under

which the Urban Growth Boundary could be adjusted.

Note that one existing development is located outside of the Urban

Growth Boundary: the Little Valley Road neighborhood in Alameda

County’s jurisdiction south of Pleasanton. This area is designated as

Rural Density Residential. Because this neighborhood is an existing

Hillside homes

partially developed area, the General Plan allows five-acre minimum

parcel sizes without the provision of standard urban water and sewer

service, subject to public health and safety considerations.

In November 2000, the voters of Alameda County approved an

Urban Growth Boundary (Measure D) which is co-terminus with the

city’s Urban Growth Boundary in Pleasanton and also includes the

Cities of Livermore and Dublin.

TABLE 2-3: GENERAL PLAN DENSITIES

Land Use Designation Allowable

Density Range

Average Density used

for Holding Capacity

Rural-Density Residential 0-0.2 du/acre 0.2 du/acre

Low-Density Residential 0-2 du/acre 1.0 du/acre

Medium-Density Residential 2-8 du/acre 5.0 du/acre

High-Density Residential 8+ du/acre 15.0 du/acre

Mixed-Use: Residential

Commercial

20+ du/acre a

0-150 % FAR

Not Applicable a

Mixed Use/Business Park c c

Commercial/Office 0-60 % FAR b 35 % FAR

General & Limited Industrial 0-50 % FAR 31 % FAR

Business Park 0-60 % FAR 32 % FAR

Sand and Gravel Harvesting Not Applicable Not applicable

Notes: du = dwelling unit(s), FAR = floor area ratioa This will be based on a planned unit development (PUD) or Specific Plan, as either may

be amended from time to time, subject to the 150 percent maximum FAR.b

c

The FAR maximum for properties for properties within the Downtown Specific Plan area shall be that established in the specific plan. Projects may use the Mixed Use FAR and density ranges only if they include uses that are authorized by the Mixed Use land designation. Conventional business park

projects shall be subject to the FAR limitations in the Business Park land use designation. Source: Community Development Department, 2008.


Adopted 07 21 09; Amended 10 19 10 2-16

Growth Management Program

The City adopted its first growth management ordinance in 1978,

designed to regulate the location and rate of new residential growth

in a period of sewage treatment constraints and air quality concerns.

The growth management program was modified following the

comprehensive revisions to the General Plan in 1986 and 1996.

Currently the Growth Management Ordinance:

Establishes an annual limit for new residential units.

Requires the apportionment of yearly total new residential units

to categories of projects (i.e., affordable projects; major

projects; first-come, first-served projects; small projects).

Defines a process for obtaining an allocation under the program.

In recent years, as fewer large residential development sites are

available and the number of residential units seeking building permits

is significantly lower than the annual allocation, there has been less

need for a growth management system that acts to meter residential

development. In the future, however, there may be years when large-

scale multifamily or mixed use projects near the BART stations or in

East Pleasanton compete with smaller projects for residential

allocations. In addition, there is an opportunity to incorporate

goals of this General Plan such as energy conservation, affordable

housing, and sustainability into the allocation process. Future

refinements of the Growth Management Program should seek to

simplify the system and to incorporate the City Council’s priorities.

Older homes along Saint Mary Street

Holding Capacity

Holding capacity is the ultimate size of the community that the

Planning Area would accommodate if all land uses shown on the

General Plan Map were to be built. Capacity is expressed in terms of

housing units, population, commercial/office/industrial building

floor area, and jobs at buildout.

By 2025, if all residential land shown on the General Plan Map is built

out, Pleasanton will contain approximately 29,000 housing units, 600

second units, and 1,100 residents in congregate (group) living

facilities. These units will support a residential population of about

78,200. This population estimate assumes that vacancy rates will

average three percent and household size will average 2.72 persons

per household. The residential holding capacity is based on buildout

at average densities.


Adopted 07 21 09 2-17

If all commercial, office, industrial, and other employment-generating

land were built out (including assumptions for East Pleasanton),

Pleasanton would contain approximately 35 million square feet of

building floor area, enough to support about 97,000 jobs. Without

counting potential development in the East Pleasanton Specific Plan

area this figure would be about 86,000 jobs. This holding capacity

estimate assumes that employment generating uses are built at

average densities (Table 2-3, above), vacancy rates average seven

percent, and employment densities will approximate current levels

(Table 2-4, below). ABAG Projections 2007 estimates a somewhat

lower number of jobs with 76,020 in 2025 and 81,270 jobs in 2035.

TABLE 2-4: EMPLOYEE DENSITY STANDARDS

Workplace Type

Average Square Foot

Per Employee

Office 300

Research & Development 340

Light Manufacturing 435

Warehouse/Service Industrial 560

Service Commercial 625

Retail 510

Restaurant 170

Hotel/Motel 1,370

Source: ITE (Institute of Transportation Engineers) Trip Generation Manual, 7th Edition

rates, adjusted for Pleasanton.

Table 2-5 summarizes the number of acres of each land use

designated within the Pleasanton Planning Area.

TABLE 2-5: GENERAL PLAN ACREAGE

General Plan Category General Plan Acreage

Residential

Rural Density 1,741

Low Density – 1 dwelling unit per 2 gross acres 276

Low Density – less than 2 dwelling units per acre 2,883

Medium Density 3,505

High Density 701

Mixed Use 778

Industrial/Commercial/Office

Commercial and Office 769

General and Limited Industrial 305

Business Park 415

Sand and Gravel Harvesting 1,750

Community Facilities

Public and Institutional 609

Schools 250

Open Space

Parks and Recreation 6,343

Agriculture and Grazing 10,956

Agriculture & Grazing with Wildlands Overlay 221

Public Health and Safety 2,646

Public Health & Safety with Wildlands Overlay 12,977

Watershed Management and Recreation 604

Staples Ranch Specific Plan (Undeveloped) 124

Total Planning Area 47,853


Adopted 07 21 09 2-18

The Relationship of Jobs and Housing

The relationship between jobs and housing is a complex topic which

affects all communities, especially those, like Pleasanton, within large

metropolitan areas. Workers choose jobs and residential locations

based on a variety of personal, financial, and locational factors.

Workers often make a trade between housing cost and length of com-

mute with some choosing to undertake a longer commute for more

affordable housing and others paying a higher housing cost for a

shorter commute. Therefore, a certain percentage of workers will

choose to live and work within the same community, such as

Pleasanton, a certain percentage within the same commute area, such

as the Tri-Valley, and a certain percentage will choose to live great

distances away from their places of employment. The essence of the

jobs/housing issue is to recognize these different types of commute

behaviors, to provide adequate housing opportunities within the

commute area desired by each group of workers, and to provide a

variety of employment opportunities for residents.

Planning to accommodate this diversity of commute patterns

involves identifying and providing for employment-generated

housing needs on three geographic levels – the community, the

commute area, and the region (such as the Bay Area). State law

recognizes each city’s and county’s responsibility to accommodate

employment-generated housing needs.5 From a practical perspective,

fulfillment of this responsibility is a regional concern which must

allow for locational differences and varying needs among

communities within larger commute areas.

5 State of California, Government Code, Section 65913.1, & Section 65583, et. seq.

Pleasanton’s location at the intersection of two freeways has played

an important role in establishing the city as a major employment

center within the Tri-Valley. Other communities, like Danville or

Alamo, enjoy a setting more conducive to development as primarily

residential communities.

Borg Fencing Company in Pleasanton

Planning for a balance of jobs and housing within the Tri-Valley

commute area, and not necessarily within each jurisdiction, allows

each community to best use its own resources and develop its own

identity, while ensuring an adequate supply of housing within a

reasonable commuting distance of Tri-Valley jobs. Pleasanton has

adopted this area-wide approach to the jobs/housing issue and has

taken significant steps to contribute its share of Tri-Valley housing

while retaining its role as an employment center.


Adopted 07 21 09 2-19

Centex homes under construction

The General Plan provides for the varied housing needs of people

who live and work in the community by designating a wide range

of residential densities and adopting policies aimed at all

economic segments of the community. The designation of high-

density residential and mixed-use land within and adjacent to

business parks is a notable example of the City’s efforts.

Pleasanton also provides jobs for people who choose to live within

other communities. The designation of land for business parks in

locations convenient to freeways, arterials, and transit corridors in

North Pleasanton is a good example.

The City also provides a wide range of housing opportunities for

people who choose to commute out of Pleasanton to work. The

wide range of housing types and prices provided by the City’s

distribution of Rural-, Low-, Medium-, and High-Density housing is a

notable example. The City’s policies to maintain its proportion of

high-density housing and percentage of rental units and to encourage

affordable housing through its Inclusionary Zoning Ordinance and

Growth Management Program are examples of the City’s efforts to

help meet the affordable housing needs of workers in Pleasanton, the

Tri-Valley, and farther away locations. Pleasanton’s strategy to

provide housing and employment opportunities to meet the full

range of commute behavior is the key to ensuring a functional

distribution of jobs and housing in the Tri-Valley area.

Pleasanton has played an active part in subregional committees such

as the Triangle Study (looking at impacts of congestion and road

improvements on I-680, I-580 and State Route 84), and Association

of Bay Area Government (ABAG) forums addressing land use and

transportation issues. The goals, policies, and programs contained

throughout the General Plan address the City’s role in cooperating

with other jurisdictions to provide for a functional distribution of

jobs and housing within the Tri-Valley while allowing the city to

develop into the type of community desired by its citizens.

Annexation

The City of Pleasanton encompasses approximately 24 square miles.

Unincorporated pockets within or adjacent to the City include: the

Remen Tract, consisting of 22 acres around Vine Street, Linden Way

and Virginia Way, mostly semi-rural residential development;

Castlewood Country Club, a 224-acre, hillside residential subdivision

largely developed in the 1950s through 1980s and including the private

Castlewood Country Club

golf course, pool, and tennis

facilities; the 46-acre Merritt

property located on the east

side of Foothill Road, south

of Foothill High School; land

on the west side of Foothill

Road in the vicinity of Santos

Ranch Road; and the 124-

acre undeveloped Staples

Ranch Areas west of El

Charro Road at I-580, and

parts of Happy Valley. In

addition to these properties,

there are also large areas to

the west, south, and east of

the City which are outside

City limits and within the

City’s Sphere of Influence and Planning Area. The annexation of

remaining contiguous parcels of unincorprated County land to the

City is crucial to completing an efficient system of municipal services

at General Plan buildout. The following criteria should be followed

for evaluating future annexation proposals:

1. Public agencies should be capable of providing adequate or

expandable services such as water, sewer, police, fire,

transportation, solid-waste disposal, parks, and schools to the


Adopted 07 21 09 2-20

area in order to support the proposed development.

2. The proposed annexation should be a logical extension of an

existing planned or developed area.

3. The land should not be under an agricultural preserve or open-

space contract.

4. The quality of the development proposed for the area to be

annexed should enhance the existing community.

LAND-USE CONCEPTS

As a result of past planning efforts, Pleasanton today is a community

with attractive and well-kept neighborhoods, abundant and well-

maintained public facilities, a thriving economy, and a high quality of

life for its residents. Providing a range of housing choices and

managing traffic congestion have been major challenges in the past

and will continue into the future. This General Plan seeks to maintain

and enhance the community’s high quality of life and to incorporate

innovative “smart growth” planning strategies such as mixed-use and

transit-oriented development (TOD) to address challenges such as

housing choice and traffic congestion, and to further the goal of

creating a more sustainable and energy efficient city.

Smart growth, mixed-use development, and transit-oriented

development all have the potential to result in a more efficient use of

land and other resources, and therefore a more sustainable

community compared to conventional development. For example,

multifamily residential development utilizes land and construction

materials more efficiently, and can result in heating, cooling, and

water-use efficiencies compared to single-family construction.

Mixed-use development adjacent to transit can encourage walking

and bicycling, and increased transit trips resulting in reduced energy

use and better air quality.

Smart Growth

Policies that integrate transportation and land-use decisions by

encouraging more compact, mixed-use development within existing

urban areas and that discourage dispersed, automobile-dependent

development at the urban fringe make up the concept of smart

growth. A main concept of smart growth is the decentralization of

services so that people may access local services – retail, service

industry, schools, recreation, etc. – through alternative modes of

travel – i.e., walking, bicycling, and taking the bus. As a result, a land

use pattern is established that is more fine-grained where public

facilities, retail, and other commercial services are generally local,

relatively small, and distributed throughout neighborhoods. Streets

are designed to accommodate non-automobile traffic and are safer

and slower than streets designed mainly to move automobile traffic

or to transport people to larger, centralized services and businesses.

Wheels bus serving the Downtown area


2-21

Throughout its elements, this General Plan recognizes

the importance of smart growth and incorporates its

concepts – whenever reasonable and feasible – to help Pleasanton

become more sustainable. At the same time this General Plan

acknowledges the importance of locating key services and

businesses – e.g., Stoneridge Mall, Hacienda Business Park, and

Pleasanton’s two high schools – along major arterial streets and

highways. However, the City coordinates with transit agencies

to provide transit to major services and businesses, which is

also consistent with smart growth. Pleasanton has also

instituted an Urban Growth Boundary that prohibits

development beyond the urban fringe. (See discussion, above,

in the Growth Management section.)

Mixed Use

Mixed-use development is any combination of the following land uses: office, commercial, hotel, institutional, and residential in a single building, on a single site, or on adjacent sites that are

physically and functionally inter-related. Mixed-use development,

a concept that has existed informally for many years in

downtown areas (including Pleasanton), has gained new life as

a way to provide additional housing close to jobs, services, and

transit (including buses); to create vitality in downtown areas;

as a way to create land-efficient development in-fill areas; and

to reduce the number of auto-related trips, compared to

conventional development.

Transit-Oriented Development

Transit-oriented development is focused around transit stations

such as BART, other rail, and bus lines. These are walkable

communities with mixed-use development that include shops,

public services, schools, and a variety of housing types and

prices within each neighborhood. These areas are often job

Adopted 07 21 09

centers. Transit-oriented communities are designed for walking and bicycling, with attractive sidewalk conditions and with good street

connectivity and traffic- calming features. Thus people may live a

higher quality life without depending on single-occupancy

vehicles, while also reducing traffic congestion and vehicle

accidents, along with resulting injuries. Cities may also relax

minimum parking requirements and/or limit maximum

parking.

GENERAL PLAN LAND USES

The General Plan establishes sixteen land use categories and

the General Plan Map illustrates the approximate locations

where the General Plan allows these uses within the Planning

Area. All proposed projects must conform to the land-use

designation(s) shown on the General Plan Map. Those projects

which do not conform require the City Council to designate

an appropriate General Plan Amendment in order to develop a

different use. The land-use designations are designed to recognize

existing development while providing flexibility for future growth.

Per State law, a city may amend each General Plan element only

up to four times per years. However, State law allows an

exception to this rule for affordable housing projects. Portions

of the General Plan enacted by voter initiatives (for example,

the Urban Growth Boundary, Ridgelands area, and land uses in the

Bernal Property) may only be amended by a vote of Pleasanton

citizenry.

The City’s Zoning Ordinance further defines land-use types

and densities, building height, parking, and other

requirements of development. Zoning designations must be

consistent with the General Plan, including the General Plan Map.

Zoning designations include a specific list of uses allowed within a

particular zone. These frequently include uses compatible with the


Adopted 07 21 09; Amended 10 19 10 2-22

main use but different in type, such as religious institutions

within industrial zones. The General Plan intent is to

incorporate the variety of compatible uses which are generally

allowed by the zoning districts within each General Plan

designation. Accordingly, permitted and conditional land uses

allowed within the various City zoning designations are

considered to be consistent with the corresponding General Plan

land-use categories.

Below is a general description of the land uses allowed under

the Pleasanton General Plan. The allowable density of any

zoning designation for any individual parcel must fall within

the density range for the underlying General Plan designation

as shown on Table 2-3, above. Any use allowed within the

zoning district must also conform to the General Plan.

Applied Biosystems buildings

When zoning individual properties, the City shall attempt to balance

development at the upper end of the General Plan density range with

the lower end so that the City can apply average densities – shown in

Table 2-3 – city-wide. The average densities shown in Table 2-3 were

used to calculate the holding capacity of the General Plan and resulting

levels of traffic, noise, and air quality.

The General Plan Map’s conceptual depiction of major arroyos as

Open Space-Public Health and Safety applies the Open Space

designation to the entirety of flood-control channel rights-of-way as

ultimately determined by the City. These arroyos are not to be

counted as part of residentially designated gross developable acres. The

City shall consider terrain of the land when designating land uses, so

that it does not redesignate land that is not feasible or appropriate for

development to Low-, Medium-, or High-Density Residential.

All projects receiving PUD approval prior to the adoption of this

comprehensive General Plan update in 2009 shall be deemed in

conformance with the provisions of this Plan.

Residential Areas

Any housing type (detached and attached single-family homes,

duplexes, townhouses, condominiums, and apartments) in addition

to religious facilities, schools, daycare facilities, and other community

facilities, may be allowed in any of the residential designations

provided that all requirements of the Zoning Ordinance are met.


Adopted 07 21 09; Amended 10 19 10 2-23

Residential neighborhood in Pleasanton

Rural-Density Residential - No more than 0.2 dwelling units

per gross developable acre. Clustering of development shall be

encouraged with lots of one acre and larger.

Low-Density Residential - A maximum of two dwelling units

per gross developable acre. In the Happy Valley area the

density allowed is one dwelling unit per two gross acres with

one unit per one-and-one-half gross acres when developed in

conjunction with major open-space land or agricultural/open-

space easement dedication.

Medium-Density Residential - Between two and eight dwelling

units per gross developable acre.

High-Density Residential - Greater than eight dwelling units

per gross developable acre.

Mixed Use

The Mixed-Use designation allows any combination of business park,

office, retail, hotel and other commercial uses, community facilities,

research and development, and residential uses in a single building,

on a single site, or on adjacent sites where the uses are integrated and

include a functional interrelationship and a coherent physical design.

Higher density residential uses (30 units per acre or more) are

encouraged in locations proximate to BART stations, and other areas

near transit, although such residential development is not precluded

in other areas designated Mixed-Use. Also consistent with the Mixed

Use designation is:

Existing development (as of General Plan adoption date)

consisting of a single land use on a site, and

Future development of a single use on a site if such a use is

approved as part of a Development Agreement or Planned

Unit Development (PUD)

The location of specific land uses in areas designated Mixed-Use is

determined by the associated PUD zoning or specific plan.


Adopted 07 21 09 2-24

Industrial, Commercial, and Offices

Commercial and Offices (Retail, Highway, and Service

Commercial; Business and Professional Offices) - Floor area

ratios (FARs) are not to exceed 60 percent, except for hotels or

motels which should not exceed 70 percent and for projects

within the Downtown Specific Plan area which should not

exceed 300 percent. Certain uses, such as warehouses, where

employee density and traffic generation are minimal, may be

allowed with higher FARs provided they meet the requirements

of the Zoning Ordinance as well as all other City requirements.

General and Limited Industrial - FARs are not to exceed 0.5.

Certain uses, such as warehouses, where employee density and

traffic generation are minimal, may be allowed with higher

FARs provided they meet the requirements of the Zoning

Ordinance as well as all other City requirements.

Sand and Gravel Harvesting - Land or buildings used for the

extraction of mineral resources and related low-intensity

activities such as ready-mix facilities and asphalt batch plants.

No significant development is allowed in these areas.

Business Park (Industrial and Commercial, including Offices)

- Intended primarily to accommodate high-quality, campus-like

development, including administrative, professional office, and

research uses. Retail commercial uses are limited to those

primarily serving business park employees. FARs are not to

exceed 0.6.

Sand and gravel harvesting area

Community Facilities

Public and Institutional - Any public or institutional use,

including religious facilities, cemeteries, corporation yards,

sewage treatment facilities, utility substations, hospitals, post

offices, community centers, senior centers, libraries, and City

Hall. FARs are not to exceed 0.6. Certain uses, such as

warehouses, where employee density and traffic generation are

minimal, may be allowed with higher FARs provided they meet

all other City requirements.

Schools - Any public or private educational facility. The

locations of K-12 public schools (elementary, middle, and high

schools) are shown on the Land Use Map as well as in Figure

6-1 in the Public Facilities and Community Programs Element.

Open Space

Agriculture and Grazing - Land or buildings used for the

production of agriculture or the grazing of animals. Outside the

City limits this designation is applied also to San Francisco


Adopted 07 21 09 2-25

watershed lands. No significant development is allowed in these

areas. These areas are generally privately owned and public

access is not allowed.

Parks and Recreation - Neighborhood, community, and

regional parks. Development is limited to community facilities

that support or complement the park use.

Public Health and Safety - Land set aside for the protection of

the public health and safety due to geologic, topographic, fire,

or other hazards. No development is allowed in these areas

other than one single-family home on each existing lot of

record as of September 16, 1986 which meets City

requirements for access, public safety, building site, and

architectural design, etc. These areas are generally privately

owned and public access is not allowed.

Wildlands Overlay - Lands identified as wildlife corridors and

valuable plant and wildlife habitats such as arroyos, the San

Antonio Reservoir area, highly vegetated areas, and other

natural areas necessary to maintain significant populations of

plant and animal species. This is an “overlay” designation

which is additive to the underlying General Plan Map

designation. No private development is allowed in these areas

other than one single-family home on each existing lot of

record as of September 16, 1986, which meets City

requirements for access, public safety, building site, and

architectural design, etc.

Water Management, Habitat, and Recreation – This

designation is reserved for lakes and ponds and the land

immediately surrounding them. Most of the areas so

designated were created as part of gravel mining reclamation.

Uses include groundwater recharge, flood protection, habitat

enhancement, and limited recreation. These water areas act as

community separators on the east edge of Pleasanton where no

significant development is allowed.

RELATIONSHIP TO OTHER ELEMENTS

Policies and programs established throughout the General Plan affect

the land use policies in Pleasanton.

Village commons and apartments in Bernal Specific Plan mixed-use project

Circulation Element

The Circulation Element promotes some land uses near transit lines

and/or hubs that encourage the use of transit and proposes to design

and regulate city streets to minimize traffic-related impacts on

adjacent land uses. This relates to the Land Use Element. The Land

Use Element integrates land-use and transportation planning in order

to ensure patterns that facilitate safe and convenient mobility of

people and goods, and to increase travel alternatives to the

single-occupant automobiles. It also promotes mixed-use develop-


Adopted 07 21 09 2-26

ment preferably located in areas served by public transit. These

policies relate to the Circulation Element.

Housing Element

Land Use policies to develop infill housing, flexibility in residential

development standards and housing type consistent with the desired

community character, residential density determinations, and the

Urban Growth Boundary relate to the Housing Element.

Public Safety Element

The Public Safety Element designates critical facilities for

emergencies and provides for public safety during emergencies and

restricts development in unstable areas, areas prone to seismic safety

hazards or landslides, and areas within the 100-year flood zone. The

Public Safety Element discusses any potential safety concerns for

residents and visitors to the community based on location of facilities.

The designation of specific land uses in the Land Use Element is

based, in part, on goals and policies in the Public Safety Element.

Public Facilities and Community Programs

Pleasanton Library

The Public Facilities and Community Programs Element provides

policies and programs for community facilities and parks. The Land

Use Element locates these public facilities and parks.

Conservation and Open Space Element

The Conservation and Open Space Element discusses open spaces

and recreational areas within the Planning Area. The Land Use

Element locates these open space and recreational areas.

Water Element

The Water Element further discusses creeks and waterways as well as

Water Management and Recreation in the Chain of Lakes area. The

Land Use Element references Water Management and Recreation as

well as other open space designations that include open creeks and

waterways.

Air Quality and Climate Change Element

The Air Quality and Climate Change Element strives to improve air

quality throughout Pleasanton. This Element would support

development plans that reduce mobile-source emissions and separate

air pollution sensitive land uses from sources of air pollution. The

Land Use Element would preserve designated open-space areas and

would integrate land-use and transportation planning in order to

ensure patterns that increase travel alternatives to the single-occupant

automobiles.

Energy Element

The Energy Element strives to reduce energy usage in Pleasanton.

The Land Use Element would integrate energy efficiency, energy


Adopted 07 21 09 2-27

conservation, and energy self-sufficiency measures into land-use

planning and would make energy use and the environment important

considerations.

Noise Element

The Noise Element discusses noise from all sources and its effects

on residential areas and other sensitive receptors. The Land Use

Element maps the location of these areas.

Community Character Element

The Community Character Element strives to preserve and enhance

those aspects which make the city special and distinct. This Element

would also maintain a visual separation between Pleasanton and

Livermore along Stanley Boulevard. The Land Use Element would

preserve scenic hillside and ridge views of the Pleasanton, Main, and

the Southeast Hills ridgelands, would preserve the remaining

agricultural open space in the ridgelands, preserve the character of

Downtown, and preserve and enhance the character of existing

residential neighborhoods.

Economic and Fiscal Element

The Economic and Fiscal Element promotes a varied mix of land

uses to ensure a broad revenue base through proactive land use

planning and zoning. The Land Use Element designates land uses

that affect the economic health of the community.

LAND USE GOALS, POLICIES, AND PROGRAMS

The following goals, policies, and programs in addition to those

contained in other Elements, constitute an action program to

implement the objectives described in this Element.

Adopted 07 21 09 2-28

GOALS, POLICIES, AND PROGRAMS

Sustainability

Goal 1: Create a land use pattern that promotes resource sustainability and environmental quality.

Policy 1: Integrate energy efficiency, energy conservation, and energy self-sufficiency measures into land-use planning.

Program 1.1:

Program 1.2:

Biennially assess community sustainability and quality of life in Pleasanton through measures such as:

traffic congestion and delay, energy use, water quality and availability, fiscal sustainability, air quality,

extent of tree canopy, and park acreage and bike path/trail miles per capita.

When reviewing development projects (especially in areas where there is likely to be the most change

and the greatest impact can be made), consider how the following will impact energy use: density,

neighborhood design, proximity to transit, proximity to shopping/employment, walkability, street

layout, and construction techniques (Green Building). Develop new measures of sustainability based

on these factors and adopt minimum sustainability scores for typical projects.

Program 1.3: When reviewing development projects, review transportation energy-efficiency measures alongside

level-of-service standards. Develop a methodology to accomplish this and then adopt it.

Program 1.4: Consider using software tools to assist in the evaluation of the energy efficiency of development

proposals.

Program 1.5: Support more locally-serving shopping opportunities in neighborhoods so that people do not have to

drive far to purchase goods.

Program 1.6: Encourage local employers to hire locally.

Program 1.7: Use the City’s housing programs to encourage people who work in Pleasanton to live in Pleasanton.

Policy 2: Integrate land-use and transportation planning in order to ensure patterns that facilitate safe and convenient mobility

of people and goods at a reasonable cost, and to increase travel alternatives to the single-occupant automobiles.

Program 2.1: Reduce the need for vehicular traffic by locating employment, residential, and service activities close

together, and plan development so it is easily accessible by transit, bicycle, and on foot.

Adopted 07 21 09 2-29

Program 2.2: Encourage the reuse of vacant and underutilized parcels and buildings within existing urban areas.

Program 2.3: Require transit-compatible development near BART stations, along transportation corridors, in

business parks and the Downtown, and at other activity centers, where feasible.

Program 2.4: Require higher residential and commercial densities in the proximity of transportation corridors and

hubs, where feasible.

Program 2.5: Assure that new major commercial, office, and institutional centers are adequately served by transit and

by pedestrian and bicycle facilities.

Program 2.6: Require design features in new development and redeveloped areas to encourage transit, bicycle, and

pedestrian access, such as connections between activity centers and residential areas, and road design

that accommodates transit vehicles, where feasible.

Program 2.7: Allow the location of small-scale neighborhood telecommuting centers and the infrastructure needed

to support them in or near residential areas to enable residents to work close to home, where feasible.

Program 2.8: Require land development that is compatible with alternative transportation modes and the use of

trails, where feasible.

Policy 3: When setting land-use policy and when reviewing potential development proposals, make minimizing energy use

and impacts on the environment important considerations.

Program 3.1: Establish an advisory committee to the City Council to provide recommendations and policy

implementation regarding energy, environmental projects and priorities, and climate change and to

review the energy and environmental issues relevant to development proposals generally.

Overall Community Development

Goal 2: Achieve and maintain a complete well-rounded community of desirable neighborhoods, a strong employment base, and a variety

of community facilities.

Policy 4: Allow development consistent with the General Plan Land Use Map.


Adopted 07 21 09 2-30

Program 4.1:

Program 4.2:

Ensure consistency between the General Plan Land Use Map and the zoning designation for all

properties within the City’s sphere of influence.

While mid-points and maximum densities/floor area ratios are used to calculate holding capacity for

planning purposes, these numbers are not entitlements. The appropriate density and intensity will be

determined based on General Plan policies, Specific Plans where appropriate, site conditions, project

design, and other considerations.

Policy 5: Evaluate land-use changes in the context of overall City welfare and goals, as well as the impacts on surrounding

neighborhoods.

Program 5.1: When evaluating development proposals or changes in land use consider General Plan and Specific

Plan policies, Zoning and Subdivision Ordinance standards, existing land uses, environmental impacts,

safety, aircraft noise, and resident, merchant and property owner concerns.

Program 5.2: Consider surrounding land uses and potential impacts when changing land-use designations.

Special Interest Areas

Policy 6: Develop comprehensive planning documents for undeveloped and underutilized areas of Pleasanton that are

changing or have the potential to change. In the planning process, identify facility needs, explore opportunities for

mixed-use development, and plan for a comprehensive circulation system.

Program 6.1: Prepare a Specific Plan for East Pleasanton as a coordinated effort between property owners, major

stakeholders, and the Pleasanton community, including residents of East Pleasanton. Although the

General Plan map indicates several types of land use that may be considered in the specific planning

process, this General Plan confers no entitlement to any future development of land in East

Pleasanton.

Program 6.2: Work with the Hacienda Owners Association and other stakeholders to prepare a comprehensive

planned unit development amendment for the Hacienda Business Park.

Policy 7: Continue to implement adopted specific plans along with relevant rezoning.


Adopted 07 21 09 2-31

Residential

Policy 8: Preserve and enhance the character of existing residential neighborhoods.

Program 8.1: Enforce the provisions of the City’s Zoning Ordinance and related planning ordinances to maintain the

character of existing residential neighborhoods.

Program 8.2: Use the City’s development review procedures to minimize intrusions into existing neighborhoods.

Policy 9: Develop new housing in infill and peripheral areas which are adjacent to existing residential development, near

transportation hubs or local-serving commercial areas.

Program 9.1: Zone vacant infill sites at densities to facilitate development, which includes affordable housing, while

respecting the character of surrounding uses.

Policy 10: Provide flexibility in residential development standards and housing type consistent with the desired community

character.

Program 10.1: Use planned unit development (PUD) zoning for residential properties that have unique characteristics

or to accommodate development that does not fit under standard zoning classifications.

Program 10.2: Residential projects proposed for land designated as Rural Density Residential should be encouraged to

cluster home sites on lots of one acre or larger.

Policy 11: Residential density is determined by the General Plan density range or applicable specific plan as outlined below:

Residential projects proposed for land designated as Low- and Medium-Density Residential should propose densities

generally consistent with the average densities assumed for buildout of the General Plan, as shown in Table 2-3.

Low- and Medium-Density projects which propose densities greater than the average shown in Table 2-3 should be

zoned PUD and contain sufficient public amenities to justify the higher density. Examples of amenities which might

qualify a project for density bonus include the provision of affordable housing; and dedication and/or improvement of

parkland, open space, and/or trails beyond the standard requirements.


Adopted 07 21 09 2-32

Low- and Medium-Density projects zoned PUD may exceed the maximum density shown in Table 2-3 on portions of

the site, as long as the overall density for the entire site does not exceed the overall maximum permitted. Housing with

increased densities on portions of the parcel shall be sited to minimize potential adverse impacts on adjacent, developed

properties.

The number of units allowed on parcels zoned PUD shall be consistent with the underlying General Plan Map

designation (plus a possible 25 percent density bonus for the provision of significant affordable housing), multiplied by

the number of gross developable acres in the parcel unless otherwise determined by a specific plan. Gross Developable

Acres shall include all privately owned acreage within a parcel and shall exclude all publicly owned facilities

(e.g., City-owned parks, flood control channels, and public school sites) or such sites planned to be purchased by a public

agency. Acreage to be devoted to publicly owned facilities dedicated as part of a project (e.g. roadway rights-of-way,

parks, and trails) shall be included as “gross developable acres” unless such acreage is rendered undevelopable by other

General Plan provisions.

While midpoints and maximum densities are used to calculated residential holding capacity for planning purposes, these

numbers are not entitlements. The appropriate residential density for properties developed as Planned Unit

Developments will be determined by the City Council based on site conditions, project design, General Plan policies, and

other considerations.

Land containing no slope of less than 25 percent should be limited to one single-family home per existing lot of record.

The maximum density of properties designated as High-Density Residential or Mixed-Use shall be determined on a case-

by-case basis based on site characteristics, amenities, and affordable housing incorporated into the development.

The calculation of residential units based on gross developable acres and General Plan density shall be rounded down to

the whole unit if under 0.9 and rounded up where 0.9 and over.

Industrial, Commercial and Office

Policy 12: Preserve the character of the Downtown while improving its retail and residential viability and preserving the

traditions of its small-town character.

Program 12.1: Implement the 2019 Downtown Specific Plan.


Adopted 07 21 09 2-33

Program 12.2:

Program 12.3:

Program 12.4:

Prepare a Civic Center Master Plan to determine the future location and footprint of an expanded

library, consolidated City Hall, Police Station, public parking, and other uses. The Master Plan should

consider transit-oriented development, include public open spaces and plazas, and add to Downtown

vitality, while also maintaining the character and ambiance of Downtown.

In the Downtown, implement mixed-use development which incorporates higher density and

affordable residential units consistent with the Downtown Specific Plan., where feasible.

Encourage second-floor apartments above first-floor commercial uses, and encourage live-

work units in the Downtown. Also allow mixed-use development in the Downtown where

residences are located behind commercial uses, subject to the limitations specified in the Downtown Specific Plan.

Policy 13: Ensure that neighborhood, community, and regional commercial centers provide goods and services needed by

residents and businesses of Pleasanton and its market area.

Program 13.1: Zone sufficient land for neighborhood, community, and regional commercial uses to support

Pleasanton’s increasing business activity.

Policy 14: Provide adequate neighborhood commercial acreage to serve the future needs of each neighborhood at buildout.

Program 14.1: Locate appropriately-scaled commercial centers with reasonable access to the residential

neighborhoods they serve.

Program 14.2: For large-scale commercial projects, require the preparation of a fiscal impact and market study that is

peer-reviewed or vetted by City staff to determine the costs and benefits of the project for the City and

the economic viability of the project.

Policy 15: Encourage industrial, commercial, and office development which is compatible with environmental constraints in

Pleasanton.

Program 15.1: Encourage business parks and large employers to provide on-site childcare facilities.


Adopted 07 21 09; Amended 10 19 10 2-34

Program 15.2: Promote the location of business services in Pleasanton to support industrial, commercial, and office

complexes.

Program 15.3: Generally discourage the redesignation of commercial, business park, and industrial land to residential

use, except for the area surrounding the BART Stations. Encourage the designation of land as mixed-

use where impacts can be mitigated, and where there is potential to reduce traffic and facilitate

affordable housing.

Program 15.4 : Require non-residential projects to provide a landscape buffer between new non-residential

development and areas designated for residential use.

Program 15.5: Industrial, retail, and office projects should generally conform to the average densities assumed in

Table 2-3. However, projects proposing intensities greater than the average assumed in Table 2-3 may

be allowed up to the maximum indicated, provided that sufficient amenities and mitigations are

incorporated into the project to justify the increased density.

Mixed Use

Policy 16: Encourage mixed-use development which encompasses any combination of commercial development, housing units,

or community facilities in an integrated development. In areas served by transit, encourage mixed use and

residential densities that support affordable housing and transit.

Policy 17: The specific location of land uses, appropriate floor area ratios, and residential densities in mixed-use areas will be

determined by the City Council through the planned unit development process or through the preparation of specific

plans.

Policy 18: Establish a well-planned mixture of land uses around the BART Stations.

Program 18.1: Work with the Hacienda Owners Association to prepare a comprehensive planned unit development

amendment for the Hacienda Business Park with special emphasis on creating a mixed-use, pedestrian-

friendly area around the East Pleasanton/Dublin BART Station. This General Plan confers no

additional development entitlement above what is currently entitled in Hacienda.


Adopted 07 21 09 2-35

Program 18.2: Provide land use flexibility for the Hacienda Business Park, portions of Stoneridge Mall area, and other

areas through the Mixed Use/Business Park, and Mixed Use land use designations. The intent is to

plan for a mixed use area sufficient to accommodate the City’s Regional Housing Needs

Determination.

Program 18.3: Use the development review process to reduce or mitigate any potential adverse impacts (noise, odor,

parking, light and glare, etc.) related to allowing a mix of land uses in Hacienda.

Open Space

Policy 19: Preserve designated open space areas for the protection of public health and safety, the provision of recreational

opportunities, agriculture and grazing, the production of natural resources, the preservation of wildlands, water

management and recreation, and the physical separation of Pleasanton from neighboring communities.

Program 19.1: Preserve open space by way of fee purchase, developer dedications, conservation and scenic easements,

transfer of development rights, Williamson Act contracts, open-space zoning categories, and other

means which may become available.

Policy 20: In the Ridgelands, preserve the remaining agricultural open space.

Program 20.1: The base density for agricultural areas in the Ridgelands is 100 acres per building site. New homes may

be located only on a legal building site, must not interfere with agricultural use in the area, and must not

interfere with documented public agency plans to connect or create trails and open space areas.

Measure F may not be amended as to land-use designations nor repealed except by a vote of the citizens

of Pleasanton.

Policy 21: Preserve scenic hillside and ridge views of the Pleasanton, Main, and Southeast Hills ridges (Measure QQ, Nov.

2008).

Program 21.1: Continue to implement the land-use and development standards of the Pleasanton Ridgelands Initiative

of 1993 (Measure F).

Program 21.2: Study the feasibility of preserving large open-space areas in the Southeast Hills by a combination of

private open-space and a public park system (Measure QQ, Nov. 2008).


Adopted 07 21 09 2-36

Program 21.3: Ridgelines and hillsides shall be protected. Housing units and structures shall not be placed on slopes

of 25 percent or greater, or within 100 vertical feet of a ridgeline. No grading to construct residential or

commercial structures shall occur on hillside slopes 25 percent or greater, or within 100 vertical feet of

a ridgeline. Exempt from this policy are housing developments of 10 or fewer housing units on a

single property. Splitting dividing, or subdividing a “legal parcel” to approve more than 10 housing

units is not allowed (Measure PP, Nov. 2008).

Growth Management

Goal 3: Develop in an efficient, logical, and orderly fashion.

Policy 22: Maintain a permanent Urban Growth Boundary (UGB) beyond which urban development shall not be permitted.

Program 22.1: Permit only non-urban uses beyond the Urban Growth Boundary.

Program 22.2: Extend urban services only to areas within the Urban Growth Boundary, with the following possible

exceptions for selected urban services: (1) areas beyond the boundary where the public health and

safety present overriding considerations; (2) as to water service, areas which are within the boundaries

of the former Pleasanton County Township Water District and where the service extension is

consistent with the 1967 Joint Powers Agreement between the City and the District; (3) on reclaimed

land which is currently designated as Sand and Gravel Harvesting in East Pleasanton when the

potential future use is non-urban.

Program 22.3: Because the Urban Growth Boundary is considered to be permanent, future adjustments to the

boundary line location are discouraged; provided, however, minor adjustments may be granted that

meet all of the following criteria: (1) are otherwise consistent with the goals and policies of the General

Plan; (2) would not have a significant adverse impact on agriculture, wildland areas, or scenic ridgeline

views; (3) are contiguous with existing urban development or with property for which all discretionary

approvals for urban development have been granted; (4) would not induce further adjustments to the

boundary; and (5) demonstrate that the full range of urban public facilities and services will be

adequately provided in an efficient and timely manner.

Program 22.4: Encourage lower intensity uses immediately inside the Urban Growth Boundary, as necessary, to

prevent potential land use conflicts with outlying non-urban uses.


Adopted 07 21 09; Amended 10 19 10 2-37

Program 22.5: The foregoing Policy 22 and Programs 22.1 through 22.4, this Program 22.5, and the Urban Growth

Boundary designated on the City of Pleasanton General Plan Map as adopted by the Pleasanton Urban

Growth Boundary Initiative in November 1996, shall be amended only by a vote of the people.

Program 22.6: Reevaluate Urban Growth Boundary locations in East Pleasanton at such time as comprehensive land-

use designation changes are considered for the reclaimed quarry lands.

Policy 23: Regulate the number of housing units approved each year to adequately plan for infrastructure and assure City

residents of a predictable growth rate.

Program 23.1: Review and modify the City’s Growth Management Program to ensure an orderly process for

developing residential units to ensure that the City’s goals for affordable housing and energy

sustainability are met.

Program 23.2: Prepare a “Growth Management” report as needed on which the City Council can base its Growth

Management allocations.

Policy 24: Annex urbanized pockets of unincorporated land adjacent to the city limits in areas where landowners are willing to

accept City services and development standards.

Program 24.1: Explore methods of annexing the remaining unincorporated pockets of urbanized land.

Policy 25: Encourage development in locations which would complete or install planned public facility systems.

Program 25.1: Invest in public facilities and amenities that support infill development.

Program 25.2: Assure that services to existing developed areas are maintained at an acceptable level when new

development occurs.

Citizen Participation

Goal 4: Encourage the participation of residents, businesses, and neighboring jurisdictions in planning for community development.

Policy 26: Encourage the participation and collaboration of Pleasanton residents and businesses in land-use planning and

decision making.


Adopted 07 21 09; Amended 10 19 10 2-38

Program 26.1: Involve citizen committees in the formulation of City plans and programs such as the future specific

plan for East Pleasanton and the comprehensive planned unit development amendment process for

Hacienda Business Park.

Program 26.2: Disseminate information regarding City policies and services to Pleasanton residents and businesses

through the use of newsletters, information brochures, the Internet, televised public meetings, and

cooperation with the media.

Program 26.3. Provide advance information about upcoming changes, projects, and issues, and encourage the

collaborative exchange of ideas between project sponsors, residents, and the business community.

Policy 27: Review and update the Pleasanton General Plan as conditions change.

Program 27.1: Conduct a review of General Plan elements, policies, and land uses by public officials and citizens,

including all economic segments of the community, every five to eight years.

Program 27.2: Prepare an annual review of the General Plan status as required by State law.

2005 Pleasanton Plan 2025

Documents

Transcript of 2005 Pleasanton Plan 2025